1那時猶大離開自己的兄弟，下到一個名叫希辣的阿杜藍人那裡住下了。 1At that time Juda went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Odollamite, named Hiras.
2猶大在那裡看見了一個名叫叔亞的客納罕人的女兒，就娶了她，親近了她。 2And he saw there the daughter of a man of Chanaan, called Sue: and taking her to wife, he went in unto her.
3她遂懷孕，生了一個兒子，給他起名叫厄爾。 3And she conceived, and bore a son, and called his name Her.
4她又懷孕，生了一個兒子，給他起名敖難。 4And conceiving again, she bore a son, and called him Onan.
5以後她又生了一個兒子，給他起名叫舍拉；生他的時候，猶大正在革齊布。 5She bore also a third: whom she called Sela. After whose birth, she ceased to bear any more.
6猶大給自己的長子厄爾娶了妻子，名叫塔瑪爾。 6And Juda took a wife for Her his firstborn, whose name was Thamar.
7猶大的長子厄爾行了上主所厭惡的事，上主就叫他死了。 7And Her, the firstborn of Juda, was wicked in the sight of the Lord: and was slain by him.
8於是猶大對敖難說：「你去與你哥哥的妻子親近，與她盡你為弟弟的義務，給你哥哥立後。」 8Juda, therefore said to Onan his son: Go in to thy brother's wife and marry her, that thou mayst raise seed to thy brother.
9敖難明知後裔不歸自己，所以當他與哥哥的妻子結合時，便將精液遺洩於地，免得給自己的哥哥立後。 9He knowing that the children should not be his, when he went in to his brother's wife, spilled his seed upon the ground, lest children should be born in his brother's name.
10他作這事，為上主所厭惡，上主就叫他死了。 10And therefore the Lord slew him, because he did a detestable thing.
11猶大於是對兒媳塔瑪爾說：「你回到你父親家中去守寡，直到我兒子舍拉長大成人。」因為他心裡想：「恐怕他也如同他哥哥們一樣死去。」塔瑪爾就回去，住在自己父親的家裡。 11Wherefore Juda said to Thamar his daughter in law: Remain a widow in thy father's house, till Sela my son grow up: for he was afraid lest he also might die, as his brethren did. She went her way and dwelt in her father's house.
12過了幾年，猶大的妻子叔亞的女兒死了。喪期過後，猶大便同自己的朋友阿杜藍人希辣，上提默納黑去剪羊毛。 12And after many days were past, the daughter of Sue the wife of Juda died: and when he had taken comfort after his mourning, he went up to Thamnas, to the shearers of his sheep, he and Hiras the Odollamite the shepherd of his flock.
13有人告訴塔瑪爾說：「你公公現正上提默納黑去剪羊毛。」 13And it was told Thamar that her father in law was come up to Thamnas to shear his sheep.
14塔瑪爾遂脫去守寡的衣服，蒙上首帕，遮掩自己，坐在通往提默納黑大道去厄納殷的路口上；──原來她見舍拉已經長大，還沒有娶她為妻。── 14And she put off the garments of her widowhood, and took a veil: and changing her dress, sat in the cross way, that leadeth to Thamnas: because Sela was grown up, and she had not been married to him.
15猶大一看見她，以為她是個妓女，因為她遮蓋了自己的臉。 15When Juda saw her, he thought she was a harlot: for she had covered her face, lest she should be known.
16猶大便由路上轉到她面前，向她說：「來！讓我與你親近！」他並不知她就是自己的兒媳。她答說：「你給我什麼，好與我親近？」 16And going to her, he said: Suffer me to lie with thee: for he knew her not to be his daughter in law. And she answered: What wilt thou give me to enjoy my company?
17猶大答說：「由羊群中取一隻小公山羊送給你。」塔瑪爾說：「你未送來以前，你應給我個抵押。」 17He said: I will send thee a kid out of the flock. And when she said again: I will suffer what thou wilt, if thou give a pledge, till thou send what thou promisest,
18猶大問說：「我該給你什麼作抵押？」她答說：「你的印章，你的繫印帶和你手中的棍杖。」猶大便交給了她，與她親近了；她於是由他懷了孕。 18Juda said: What wilt thou have for a pledge? She answered: Thy ring and bracelet, and the staff which thou holdest in thy hand. The woman therefore at one copulation conceived.
19事後，她起來回家，除掉首帕，再穿上她守寡的衣服。 19And she arose and went her way: and putting off the apparel which she had taken, put on the garments of her widowhood.
20猶大託自己的朋友阿杜藍人送了一隻小公山羊去，好由那女人手中取回抵押；他卻找不到她， 20And Juda sent a kid by his shepherd, the Odollamite, that he might receive the pledge again, which he had given to the woman: but he, not finding her,
21便問當地人說：「那在厄納殷路旁的廟妓在那裡？」人答說：「這裡從來沒有廟妓。」 21Asked the men of that place: Where is the woman that sat in the cross way? And when they all made answer: There was no harlot in this place,
22他回來對猶大說：「我找不著她，並且當地的人都說：這裡從來沒有廟妓。」 22He returned to Juda, and said to him: I have not found her; moreover the men of that place said to me, that there never sat a harlot there.
23猶大遂說：「讓她留著罷！免得我們被人嗤笑。我將小公山羊送了去，可是你沒有找著她。」 23Juda said: Let her take it to herself; surely she cannot charge us with a, lie: I sent the kid which I promised: and thou didst not find her.
24大約過了三個月，有人告訴猶大說：「你的兒媳塔瑪爾與人通姦，而且因通姦有了身孕。猶大說：「把她拉出來燒死！」 24And behold after three months they told Juda, saying: Thamar, thy daughter in law hath played the harlot, and she appeareth to have a big belly. And Juda said: Bring her out that she may be burnt.
25當她被拉出來時，她派人到她公公那裡說：「這些東西是誰的，我就是由誰懷了孕。」並且說：「請你仔細看看這些東西：印章、印帶和棍杖是誰的？」 25But when she was led to execution, she sent to her father in law, saying: By the man, to whom these things belong, I am with child. See whose ring, and bracelet, and staff this is.
26猶大仔細一看，就說：「她比我更有理，因為我尚沒有將她嫁給我的兒子舍拉。」他從此以後，再沒有認識她。 26But he acknowledging the gifts, said: She is juster than I: because I did not give her to Sela, my son. However, he knew her no more.
27到了她要生產的時候，腹中竟是一對雙胎。 27And when she was ready to be brought to bed, there appeared twins in her womb: and in the very delivery of the infants, one put forth a hand, whereon the midwife tied a scarlet thread, saying:
28她正生產時，一個胎兒伸出一手來，收生婆就拿了一根朱紅線繫在他手上說：「這個是先出生的。」 28This shall come forth the first.
29但是他一收回手去，他的兄弟就出生了；收生婆說：「你為自己開了個怎樣的裂口！」遂給他起名叫培勒茲。 29But he drawing back his hand, the other came forth: and the woman said: Why is the partition divided for thee? and therefore called his name Phares.
30以後，那手上繫有朱紅線的兄弟也出生了，遂給他起名叫則辣黑。 30Afterwards his brother came out, on whose hand was the scarlet thread: and she called him Zara.
注释
38:1-10
在梅瑟立法以前，闪族中弟娶兄嫂的风俗早已流行（申25:5-10）。敖难若不亲近塔玛尔，按那时的风俗，应受处罚。他违背人道的罪，遭了天主的严罚。由於他犯的罪，伦理神学称为「敖难的淫行」；这也是「节育」被禁止的根据。
38:21
「庙妓」指客纳罕人当时在庙中献身於淫乱的女人。当时人以行淫拜神；这是他们遭天主消灭的原因之一（欧4:14；申23:18）。
38:24
参阅肋20:10; 21:9；申22:23-24；则16:40；若8:5。
38:27-30
收生婆所为是为判定谁为长子，谁为次子；培勒兹为默西亚的直系先祖之一，见玛1:3。